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Welcome to the home of Bedfordshire Humanists. If you have any comments or suggestions about the site, please contact the webmaster.
We hope to represent Humanist views in the Bedfordshire area. However, this website does not replace our meetings, which are held on the 4th Tuesday of every month (see Events page for details).
Our Next Meeting: Islam in the Modern World
The meeting is with the Imam of the Westbourne Road Mosque, Abdul Qadeer Rashid. Abdul will be speaking to us and more importantly answering our questions about how Muslims view the world today. At the REC, 22nd May, 19:00 for 19:30. Entry is £2.00 for non-members, free for members.
February Meeting report
Our friend John Davies from Luton gave us a most stimulating illustrated talk on the work of ‘Population Matters’, which analyses and campaigns to draw attention to the impact on the world, present and future, of rapid population growth. Along with climate change, resource depletion, pollution and food shortage, this really is the shadowy Fifth Horseman, because it intensifies all the others, but is rarely publicly addressed.
Attendance at the Freedom of Speech Rally
A small group of members attended the Freedom of Speech rally at the Palace of Westminster, on the afternoon of 11th February. The rally was very well attended for this type of event, which traditionally attracts few people. This is no doubt because of the recent infringements of the right to free speech perpetrated by Islamists and their apologists. There was a brilliant line-up of speakers and they were all inspiring. But it was very cold standing listening to them!
Rally for freedom of speech
The threats to Freedom of Speech continue. In the last few weeks there have been high profile cases where censorship has been applied to protect specifically the feelings of Muslims – one of these was censorship applied by the Muslims themselves by making direct threats. Unfortunately our society is founded on the freedom to express ourselves and to criticise ideas. If that freedom is restricted, either by officialdom or by self-censorship because we are afraid to express ourselves in case the mob calls, then our society as we know it will cease to function.
January meeting report
Ollie Killingback did a brilliant job at our January meeting. His topic was ‘Biblical Language’. Ollie discussed the difficulties of language, with examples from our own time. He then discussed the translation of the Bible from Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English, and how at each stage the choice of words in the translation can completely alter the meaning of the text. Finally he discussed how taking a literalist view of the Bible, as many do today, leads to misinterpretation of the text.
Action Alert: Just Say NO to Dorries
Mid-Bedfordshire Conservative MP Nadine Dorries’ Ten Minute Rule Bill on abstinence-based sex education – for girls aged 13-16 only – is getting its Second Reading this Friday, 20th January. Abstinence isn’t a new idea. It is used in some states of the United States and has been shown not to work. That is not speculation; there is actual evidence, actual statistics. We believe that this is another example of Nadine Dorries putting her religious faith ahead of the interests of her constituents.
Government ban creationist schools
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has welcomed a new revision of the model funding agreement for Free Schools by the Government in order to preclude ‘the teaching, as an evidence-based view or theory, of any view or theory that is contrary to established scientific and/or historical evidence and explanations.’ This highly significant change has been made in order to ban creationism from being taught in Free Schools, and prevent creationist groups from op
SACRE
Members and Associates will be aware that last year Bedfordshire Humanists applied to join the local SACRE (Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education), which sets the Religious Education syllabus for schools in Bedford Borough. Humanism is now a part of Religious Education, which is legally required to be interpreted as Religion and Ethics.
We were rejected, with no reason being given. We were required to wait one year before reapplying.
We reapplied this year, and again were rejected with no explanation being given.
Latest Newsletter
The December issue No.23 of our bi-monthly newsletter, ‘The Bedfordshire Humanist’, is now available. Our newsletters contain news of the things we’ve done, information about the things we’re going to do, news, views, stories, you name it. If you are not currently on the distribution list and you would like to be e-mailed a free copy, please send your e-mail address to admin@bedshumanists.org.uk
